Lab Associate

Lab Associate Salary in California

$26.2K

$41.5K

$70.1K

$45,917

/year

$22.08

/hour

Lab Associate Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$46,526

California

California

$45,917

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    How much does a Lab Associate make in California?

    As of Aug 23, 2026, the average annual pay for a Lab Associate in California is $45,917 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $22.08 an hour. This is the equivalent of $883/week or $3,826/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $70,071 and as low as $26,153, the majority of Lab Associate salaries currently range between $35,000 (25th percentile) to $51,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $63,161 annually in California. The average pay range for a Lab Associate varies greatly (by as much as 16300), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    California ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Lab Associate salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Lab Associate jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Lab Associate on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Lab Associate Jobs in California

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Lab Associate job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Scotts Valley, , with Cupertino, and Berkeley, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, beats the average in California by $11,051 (24.1%), and Scotts Valley, furthers that trend with another $14,292 (31.1%) above the $45,917 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Lab Associate appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 9% between Scotts Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Lab Associate role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Scotts Valley

    $60,209

    $28.95

    Cupertino

    $57,401

    $27.60

    Berkeley

    $56,968

    $27.39

    Redwood City

    $56,964

    $27.39

    Belmont

    $56,270

    $27.05

    San Carlos

    $56,179

    $27.01

    South San Francisco

    $55,909

    $26.88

    Menlo Park

    $54,829

    $26.36

    San Francisco

    $54,816

    $26.35

    San Francisco Bay Area

    $54,816

    $26.35

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Lab Associate Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Lab Associate job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $45917 state average for Lab Associate jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    General Practice Residency

    $281,619

    $135.39

    Doctor Of Naprapathic Medicine

    $230,683

    $110.91

    Oral Surgery

    $47,764

    $22.96

    Digital Dentistry

    $47,254

    $22.72

    Virtual Hospital Patient Sitter

    $38,656

    $18.58

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Lab Associate salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $35,000 to $63,161 annually, with the California average at $45,917 per year or $22.08 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Lab Associate jobs, with Scotts Valley leading at $60,209 annually.